Our Promise

“We promise to honor, to remember, to care and to fight.” Thousands of you have heard those words recently as you participated in our Promise Garden Ceremony before the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Thousands more of you will have your chance to hold up your Promise Flowers this weekend and the weekend after. The flowers represent the diverse reasons we come together, and together they create a dynamic, colorful and meaningful garden. Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease hold blue flowers. Caregivers and those walking in honor of a loved one hold yellow flowers. Those who have lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease hold purple flowers. Advocates who support our mission hold orange flowers.

Why do you walk? Why do you ask your friends and family to dig into their pockets a little deeper and work a little harder to fight Alzheimer’s disease? We do it because we still remember. We can remember the promises we make, and we understand that our memories may not always be ours to keep. The Alzheimer’s Association’s vision is a world without Alzheimer’s disease. Last month, you helped us work toward that vision in Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Lafayette, Merrillville, Richmond, South Bend, and Terre Haute. This month, we’re asking you to join us in Anderson, Columbus, Indianapolis, Michigan City and Warsaw. Help us keep our promise and let us help you keep yours. Support the mission and fund the cause. Build a world that remembers, instead of a world that forgets.

Conference to Focus on Driving, Dementia & Communication

November is National Family Caregivers Month and the Alzheimer’s Association is inviting family members and professionals to attend our Fall Caregiver Conference at Marten House Hotel. The conference will focus on issues surrounding driving, dementia and communication. Keynote presenter Tom Meuser, Ph.D., a clinical geropsychologist and director of the gerontology graduate program at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, will discuss driver fitness and life review techniques in aging and dementia. Presenter Mary G. Austrom, Ph.D., will discuss effective communication strategies for both family members and professionals when caring for an individual with dementia. The conference will begin with registration at 8:15 a.m. and finish with door prizes at 3:30 p.m. The registration fee is $25 for family members and $60 for professionals, which covers break service, lunch and conference materials. 4.5 CEUs are available for social workers and health care facility administrators. Refunds will be provided only for cancellations received four business days prior to the conference. You can register online or by calling 800-272-3900.

Make Monumental Moves to End Alzheimer's

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

Go the distance with ALZ Stars, an active lifestyle program to benefit the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. ALZ Stars challenges athletes to challenge themselves and participate in active events to increase awareness and inspire others to take action in the fight against Alzheimer's disease.

All ALZ Stars Participants Receive:

An entry into the Monumental event of their choice on November 3, 2012

An ALZ Stars Race Day Dri Fit Jersey

Free training program

Your very own fundraising website

An invitation to our Pasta Dinner (details TBA)

Fundraising guidance and online tools to help you with your goal

An opportunity to train with others who support our cause!

As an ALZ Star, all you are required to do is raise a minimum of $500. With the help of our website and fundraising guidance, this is easy to do! Already purchased an entry? No problem! That amount will be deducted from your $500 fundraising minimum.

We are also accepting runners for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 5th. There are only 40 spots available, so contact Amber Michel at amichel@alz.org or 800.272.3900 for more information!

Families and Professionals Exchange Ideas at Town Hall

Why does Alzheimer’s disease look so different in different people? Why does one individual develop the disease at 48 years old and another individual gets diagnosed at 75? During the recent Alzheimer’s Association town hall, “Alzheimer’s: A Public Health Crisis,” Dr. Brandy Matthews, assistant professor of clinical neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine, explained that researchers are currently trying to answer a number of questions about Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Matthews sat on a panel with Nancy Jewell, president & CEO of Indiana Minority Health Coalition; Orion Bell, president and CEO of CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions; Dr. Cathy C. Schubert, medical director, IU Center for Senior Health at Wishard; and the Hatke family, of Lebanon, Indiana.

Rita Hatke, a caregiver to her 49-year-old husband, Mike, told the audience that her husband’s behavior can be unpredictable. “Mike may look fine and act fine one minute, and be totally lost the next,” she said. After the panel finished speaking, several attendees asked questions and voiced comments."It was evident from the town hall that many individuals who are impacted by Alzheimer's are still struggling to find proper diagnoses, treatments and participate in research trials. Virtually everyone in the audience asked questions and made statements,” said Michael Sullivan, director of public policy and advocacy. “The panel provided excellent information to the participants, and the participants' quotes will be sent to our Congressional Delegation as we pursue increased funding for Alzheimer's research."

The Alzheimer’s Association is calling on all Hoosiers to become advocates for the cause. Sign up today to become an advocate. Be kept up-to-date on advocacy issues and have the opportunity to participate in grassroots advocacy activities, including action alerts-- when the Alzheimer's Association needs you to contact your elected officials. Click here for more information.